CGM
TS Member
Today I went to Lightwater Valley for pretty much the first time despite it being one of the closest parks to me (apparently I'd been once when very young but I don't remember it). It is certainly a unique attraction and I can't think of any park I've been to quite like it.
Overall, the park was presented really well with all of the paths free from litter and a general neat and tidy feel about the place. There is only one themed area in the form of Skeleton Cove. The theming there isn't that extravagant but it sets an atmosphere and is a good effort for a park on a budget.
The layout of the park is really odd. The park is huge for the number of attractions it has and they use all of the space they have. The result is clusters of rides separated by long walks through grass fields that don't seem to be used for anything. It's a layout that resembles some of my early RCT creations.
Unfortunately the staff were a bit of a letdown. Most of the ride ops just didn't seem to care and went around with scowls on their faces. The worst offender was the operator of Powder Kegs who after taking an age to secure everyone's restraint, then went and had a lengthy chat with the ride op on Black Pearl leaving us all waiting for the ride to start before trudging over to the box and starting the ride.
The food we had at lunch was frankly terrible and featured some highly suspicious tasting chicken. I don't understand how parks think it's okay to keep selling such bad food at such an inflated price. It's not just Lightwater, it's every park in the country (including Alton, maybe especially Alton!). For me, eating is a big part of the whole experience of any day out and good food makes a good impression. The kind of food sold to me today just makes me feel under-valued as a customer and less likely to return.
Anyway, onto some rides:
The Ultimate
This is a rollercoaster made by people who had no idea what they were doing and it shows. The turnaround time for one train is 7 minutes; mainly because of the snail-paced lift hills and needlessly long crawl down the station. The ride's track work is built directly onto the terrain and its foundations are railway sleepers!
The result of all this is the most brutal ride I have ever experienced. The stint after the first lift hill lulls you into a false sense of security as it's fairly tame but nothing can prepare you for the madness of what follows the second lift hill. Not only is this section unbelievably rough, it's very fast, very close to the ground and the profile of every single corner is just wrong. If you do not brace for impact, you will probably be injured in some way. The train tries its best to tear its self from the rails as you hit every poorly calculated bend and there is not one smooth transition. Every direction change is ridiculously violent and throws you around like a rag doll.
Technically, it's a terrible ride, however it feels so dangerous and out of control it's probably the most thrilling ride I've ever been on! Everyone should try it at least once as it is truly unique. It is especially mad towards the front.
Rating: N/A
Raptor Attack
I never rode the Rat Ride before the change but it's amazing what some decent theming and some dark can do for an average coaster. I really enjoyed this ride and I thought that the theme was really well done. The animatronics were decent enough and the fact that queue lines actually go underground makes the whole experience very convincing.
Rating: 7.5/10
Eagle's Claw
The first full fat KMG After Burner I've been on. I didn't find it as intense as the smaller Freak Out versions that you find at fairs but it made up for this with ridiculous airtime at the top of every swing. A very fun ride.
Rating: 8/10
whirlwind
Again, this was the first Top Scan I'd ever been on and I found it very, very intense. I definitely enjoyed it but if it had been run much faster I'm not sure I would have done. My favorite thing about the ride is the cycle of the gondola slowing close to the ground followed by insane lateral Gs and chaotic flipping. It gives you a chance to catch your breath and a sense of anticipation before the next cycle. I reckon that a shorter ride time would increase re-ride value but it's still a great ride.
Rating: 8.5/10
Overall, I found Lightwater Valley a fun day out and I think it is probably in contention for being the park with the best selection of flat rides in the country right now. It makes me realise how much Alton needs them!
Rides Ridden:
Ultimate x4
Raptor Attack x2
Eagles Claw x2
Skate Karts x~10
Dodgems x2
Twister x2
Whirlwind
Powder Kegs
Falls of Terror
Skyrider
Skull Rock
Swan Lake Swan Boats
Lightwater Express
Ladybird
Overall, the park was presented really well with all of the paths free from litter and a general neat and tidy feel about the place. There is only one themed area in the form of Skeleton Cove. The theming there isn't that extravagant but it sets an atmosphere and is a good effort for a park on a budget.
The layout of the park is really odd. The park is huge for the number of attractions it has and they use all of the space they have. The result is clusters of rides separated by long walks through grass fields that don't seem to be used for anything. It's a layout that resembles some of my early RCT creations.
Unfortunately the staff were a bit of a letdown. Most of the ride ops just didn't seem to care and went around with scowls on their faces. The worst offender was the operator of Powder Kegs who after taking an age to secure everyone's restraint, then went and had a lengthy chat with the ride op on Black Pearl leaving us all waiting for the ride to start before trudging over to the box and starting the ride.
The food we had at lunch was frankly terrible and featured some highly suspicious tasting chicken. I don't understand how parks think it's okay to keep selling such bad food at such an inflated price. It's not just Lightwater, it's every park in the country (including Alton, maybe especially Alton!). For me, eating is a big part of the whole experience of any day out and good food makes a good impression. The kind of food sold to me today just makes me feel under-valued as a customer and less likely to return.
Anyway, onto some rides:
The Ultimate
This is a rollercoaster made by people who had no idea what they were doing and it shows. The turnaround time for one train is 7 minutes; mainly because of the snail-paced lift hills and needlessly long crawl down the station. The ride's track work is built directly onto the terrain and its foundations are railway sleepers!
The result of all this is the most brutal ride I have ever experienced. The stint after the first lift hill lulls you into a false sense of security as it's fairly tame but nothing can prepare you for the madness of what follows the second lift hill. Not only is this section unbelievably rough, it's very fast, very close to the ground and the profile of every single corner is just wrong. If you do not brace for impact, you will probably be injured in some way. The train tries its best to tear its self from the rails as you hit every poorly calculated bend and there is not one smooth transition. Every direction change is ridiculously violent and throws you around like a rag doll.
Technically, it's a terrible ride, however it feels so dangerous and out of control it's probably the most thrilling ride I've ever been on! Everyone should try it at least once as it is truly unique. It is especially mad towards the front.
Rating: N/A
Raptor Attack
I never rode the Rat Ride before the change but it's amazing what some decent theming and some dark can do for an average coaster. I really enjoyed this ride and I thought that the theme was really well done. The animatronics were decent enough and the fact that queue lines actually go underground makes the whole experience very convincing.
Rating: 7.5/10
Eagle's Claw
The first full fat KMG After Burner I've been on. I didn't find it as intense as the smaller Freak Out versions that you find at fairs but it made up for this with ridiculous airtime at the top of every swing. A very fun ride.
Rating: 8/10
whirlwind
Again, this was the first Top Scan I'd ever been on and I found it very, very intense. I definitely enjoyed it but if it had been run much faster I'm not sure I would have done. My favorite thing about the ride is the cycle of the gondola slowing close to the ground followed by insane lateral Gs and chaotic flipping. It gives you a chance to catch your breath and a sense of anticipation before the next cycle. I reckon that a shorter ride time would increase re-ride value but it's still a great ride.
Rating: 8.5/10
Overall, I found Lightwater Valley a fun day out and I think it is probably in contention for being the park with the best selection of flat rides in the country right now. It makes me realise how much Alton needs them!
Rides Ridden:
Ultimate x4
Raptor Attack x2
Eagles Claw x2
Skate Karts x~10
Dodgems x2
Twister x2
Whirlwind
Powder Kegs
Falls of Terror
Skyrider
Skull Rock
Swan Lake Swan Boats
Lightwater Express
Ladybird
